breathing thrice
by Elvenkind
Summary: The nights at Hogwarts hold darkness. Hermione not only must cope with Draco being -no surprise- his annoying self, but needs to get to the bottom of the night time mystery threatening the school.
1. night time occurrence

Disclaimer: all I own is the plot.. .am obviously not J.K. Rowling  
  
Chapter 1 Hermione shivered. It was a dark night and she was patrolling the Hogwarts corridors as was her duty. Carefully she paced the passages looking for anything out of order or unusual. Everything seemed to be just fine but she wouldn't be fooled. NOT Hermione Granger protector of the otherwise slumbering school(with a couple of exceptions). She leapt around the corner and SAW.................................................................................nothing She let out the breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding."Get a grip girl!"she muttered and strolled on trying to calm herself. What use would she be if something really happened and her nerves cracked? But Hermione couldn't help herself. She just had this... feeling... darkness coming.... Hermione protectively drew her cloak more closely around herself and doubled her pace. Time was nearly up and Ron would be taking over. If some thing happened tonight it would be Ron's turn to cope. And she didn't like THAT any better!  
These patrols hat become necessary since Voldemort and bad guys found new means of making everyone's lives miserable nearly by the day.  
All the prefects and members of the young order of phoenix took turns in patrolling.  
  
The shadows around her grew. At first she thought it was her imagination. But it got darker by the minutet and the light that came from the tip of her wand seemed to shrink, fighting a loosing battle against the looming darkness. It didn't exactly go out. It seemed as if its light just didn't reach the surroundings. This was unnatural. Hermione started to run she didn't exactly know why. Running didn't exactly make the darkness go away but she didn't care. A horrible panic was rising inside her. She knew she was being terribly irrational, which was rather novel for Hermione and a voice inside her said "Its only darkness. Unnatural yes but nothing to go berserk about." but it was getting weaker and more fear was pouring in. She felt like a little girl being chased by shadowy nightmares. All rational thoughts gone, Hermione screamed and ran while shadows whispered and clawed at her. It was becoming unbearable. She was loosing herself in her fear and was nearly unconscious. Then all of a sudden something changed. She ran into something hard. It was bound to happen. Luckily the something was no way as hard nor as cold as a wall. It was warm and soothing.  
Hermione felt arms wrap around her. Feeling the panic lift slightly she broke into uncontrollable sobs letting her emotions free reign. She felt the someone she desperately clung to stroking her back in gentle movements and a voice coming as if from a far entered her consciousness: "Shhh...shhh...... its alright now shhhhhhh.... you'll be safe...shhhh" she listened rather unfocussed still crying "Your fear is groundless. Hermione..",the voice was calm and tender as it spoke her name, ".... Listen the darkness isn't real. It's in your mind. And the panic will leave as soon as you let reason back into your mind...as will the shadows. What also helps is human warmth ... so just hold onto me and be reasonable, I know that's what your best at.. " now the voice also carried a hint of a smile. It carried on. The calm, reasonable and comforting words guided Hermione slowly back from the nightmare dimension she had fallen into. She snuggled closer to the warmth of the one holding her.  
His (for it was male)voice seemed in a way familiar. She couldn't quite place it but for the moment she didn't care who her rescuer was. Her eyes still tightly shut, she felt like waking from a terrible dream. All she felt was relief at the unnatural panic that had taken hold of her, was finally leaving.  
Finally her sobs subsided. "Feeling better now?" "Yes" was her muffled reply. She detached herself slightly "thank..." she looked up and her voice trailed of as she she saw just who her rescuer was, "... you.." "Good! That means you can now take your hands of me lil' MUDBLOOD!" Hermione could do nothing but stare incredulously up at the boy in front of her.  
There he stood, his pale hair and features illuminated by the dim light of Hermione's wand which lay on floor and the moonlight flooding through a high nearby window ...and contrary to his own words.... still holding her.  
She was seldom lost for words and her thought were nothing like coherent but who would blame her. The situation she found herself in was certainly bizarre. "Draco Malfoy... holding me... ferret boy?.... gosh he looks cute bathed in warm and cold light.... .just called me mudblood.. how DARE he!!... and stroked my hair and back, his touch gentle and kind.... no way!... that heavenly voice,his???...HA!.. somebody swapped my rescuer while I wasn't looking!"she she thought triumphantly, "..No no couldn't have.."she shook her head in a perplexed manner "... I've been holding onto him all the time... HOLDING ON TO HIM!?" Hermione forcefully jumped away from her nemesis as if stung, her face a mask of terror. "And there's no way you look good in the moonlig.......!" She didn't finish this not very witty, confused and non Hermione style statement for as soon as she let go of him some of the former panic washed back over her.  
In a blinking of an eye she was again clinging to him."Why is this happening to me?? And why am I talking such crap" she thought feeling exasperated and braced herself to be pushed away ... into the dark and tightened her grip on the hated Slytherin. He was less terrifying than what awaited her away from his touch. To her surprise he once again placed his hands on her waste. Hermione looked up at and saw him smirking down at her his gaze sort of.... knowing. She glared daggers back while her mind worked feverishly "What's going on why is Malfoy's touch keeping those feelings away... and why, for CHRIST's sake, is he helping me? Very good question!!!" she mentally patted herself on the shoulder and voiced it frowning indignantly. "Yes! Why on earth are you helping me Malfoy?!" She searched for a hint of tenderness in his slanting grey eyes that would fit what she thought, she had detected in his voice earlier on. But they were as steely as ever, beautiful but cold and the grin one of pure and tempting evil.  
He pulled her closer and his face dangerously close to hers. Hermione's heart missed a beat. Then he answered sneering: "For the novelty of the experience, I've never held a chaste little Griffindor like you so close to me..... aw look at that blush, isn't that cute, the girls usually in my arms are of a different kind," Hermione struggled outraged to free herself as he continued, " ... now that's over and done with I can't say it was particularly good." The cheek he had! "Course holding me was good!" she thought inwardly pouting. "Anyhow it makes no sense! How does that go together with being protective and sweet???" she thought.  
Hemione managed to free herself from his grip "You mean, you experimented on being nice to me, to see what its like??" she spat. "Now how low is THAT???" "If you want to put it that way.." he answered in a calm and satisfied manner now crossing his arms loosely in front of his breast. "You seriously need some counselling for that deranged mind of yours! Malfoy! You don't make much sense." With a little after thought she added as coolly as her anger permitted, "And maybe a good girl is just what you need! But there's no chance of YOU getting one." And with that she stormed off towards the Griffindor quarters.  
"Yes, maybe that's just what I need." Draco mumbled long after she was gone.  
  
Hermione lay in her bed. The rage she had felt while storming back to the Griffindor Tower had changed into sadness. She was hurt which was silly. She shouldn't let Malfoy get to her like that. But she couldn't help remembering how nice he had been when holding her. It had felt as if some dear friend was there. Someone who truly cared for her. ..... "Stupid me," she thought sniffing, and wiping away the unwelcome tired tears "...shouldn't let the manipulative git, get to me like that. That just what he wants to achieve!" Hermione hated the thought that Malfoy had any effect what so ever on her and blamed it on the rough time she had had this night. "For goodness sake! He rescued me from that darkness thingy! Who wouldn't get emotional?...." Moodily she stared into the darkness."...Oh Gods and what's worse, I bet he thinks I fancy him." After another while of contemplating and some tossing around Hermione finally drifted into redeeming sleep.  
In the morning things already looked rosier.  
She overslept. Her sleep had been too exhausted and deep to let the ring of her alarm clock penetrate her dreams. But when she finally woke things where rosier simply because didn't have time to give the nights incident any thought. All she managed, went something like this: "... aaaaaaaaaaaah I'm late, aaaah!..." She rushed into the shower. Magically dried herself and magicked her clothes on. She could have magically cleaned herself too but in a way, she felt that was unhygienic and besides nothing made her feel as fresh as her morning shower.  
Hermione rushed into the Great Hall purposefully not looking at the Slytherin table and hopped into her seat next to Ron and Harry.  
"Morning Mione, you look awful!" Ron said said somewhat muffled, his mouth crammed with egg and toast. "Thanks Ron. Never short of a complement, are you." she replied dryly. Harry gave Hermione a you-know-what-he's-like smile and she genuinely smiled back at her friend her smile saying "yeah but it doesn't really make it better. Does it?" "You two quit smiling across my head like I'm not there. I know what this is about!. Its about look at silly unreliable Ron. Didn't even patrol last night, because he didn't her the waking charm..." With that he continued scoffing down his breakfast. His ears, a bright shade of red, gave his embarrassment away. Unusually Hermione'd have scolded him for his light hearted approach to his duties, but today she just was relieved. "Thank god that he's reliable at being unreliable" she thought with a giggle. She patted him on the shoulder.  
"You know that the purpose of a waking charm is actually waking you up. You must have ignored the load singing in your ear for half an hour."she said with a good natured smile. "Well I was dreaming something about, you and Harry hiring a choir that followed me around.... It was terrible ! I couldn't' get away from it! And the songs they sang were awfully unoriginal" Both Harry and Hermione couldn't help laughing at their friend. He was most adorable.  
Finally Harry asked "So how was your patrol Mione?" The question wasn't unexpected and yet Hermione was a little at a loss. Should she tell them? She hadn't had time to consider this. Well of course she SHOULD! She had to. But just now she had no information on what happened and the incident with Malfoy was rather embarrassing.  
"Guys..",she began. Both Harry and Ron looked at her expectantly, "....something did happen last night. Its hard to describe I had some sort of unnatural panic fit. But I have no idea what caused it. I need more information on this." "But where can you start looking? Under unnatural panic? That really is vague? And you seem to be alright is it really dangerous?" Harry asked frowning slightly.  
Hermione was slightly flustered she didn't want to retell the nights events just yet. "Look, I'll tell you all about it later. But I think I can gather more information on what happened." She stood up her food half eaten and rushed out of the hall. She had just seen a certain someone leave.  
  
"Malfoy!" Hermione cornered him just outside the Great Hall and pushed him into a convenient small niche.  
"Yes, Granger? Came for more hugs?" Hermione winced but brushed the comment aside. He didn't seem as full of malice as he usually was. More playful. Which was weird. "I don't have time for this. Malfoy this is important! What do you know?" He raised an eyebrow, "Know what?" Hermione gave him an irritated glare. "Oh come on! Drop it! I 'm not stupid you know... You know something!" "Look Granger, I don't have all day either... Of course I know things. But what do you want to know and what makes you think I'll tell you? Spill. And I shall see if I can help you." Hermione sighed "You know very well I'm speaking of last night..." "Painful memories eh?" Draco interrupted happily making Hermione want to punch him hard.  
She could see this was going to be difficult. In order to calm herself, she drew a deep breath and carried on speaking at a quicker pace hoping to get away sooner.  
"Last night some thing unnatural was happening and you know what. You knew how to drive my panic away, so you have information. You told me that the shadows where in my head and the where. You said that thinking rationally helped and it did. You said that human warmth helped and it did..." she trailed of looking at Draco as if seeing him for the first time.  
Opposite of her he stood casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking as cool and arrogant as ever. His eyes mocking her. A broad grin spread across Hermione's the face, lighting it up. Her eyes shone with mirth and her manner was gleeful."HA!... ..Ha ha ! I know why you helped me!" A panicky look crossed Malfoy's face but he almost instantly regained his composure as Hermione excitedly carried on , "You're weak Draco Malfoy. You helped me because you needed help yourself! You needed human warmth......MY warmth. You needed to be level minded. You needed me just as I needed you!" she finished triumphantly. The reaction she got was not quite what she had hoped for but it wasn't exactly bad. Draco doubled in a fit of laughter. Hermione watched a little puzzled. His laughter was honest which was novel. "So what's the joke?" she asked half smiling. "You!" Malfoy managed. Hermione raised a questioning eyebrow. "That was precious Hermione!" He did a high pitched impression of her voice "Ha! You used me to save your own skin... your weak! Ha ha.." he carried on with his normal voice still half giggling. "I'd have thought that you'd work that out quicker." Hermione looked even more puzzled. He explained "Look Granger I'm a Malfoy."-as if that explained everything- "Of course I used you to save my own skin. It goes with what I am and I'm not going to be ashamed about it. But enough about my motives. You came to me because you wanted to know what caused this. Right?" Hermione nodded. "What makes you think I'll help you?" He looked at her in a what-have-you-to-offer-manner. Hermione was quick to adjust to the change of topic. "I'd didn't think you'd be easy to pump for information.... But I believe I can make you want to tell me.",she finished smugly. The look he gave her was more than unbelieving. Hermione blushed. "I didn't mean anything of the sort..." "Shame",was Draco's dry reply making Hermione blush even more. "I was going to bribe you..." Draco smiled like a fox "Now you're speaking my language! What's the deal?"  
  
A/N end of chapter 1.. hope you liked it. Sorry about the cliffhanger... but more is certainly to come..I'm enjoying myself thoroughly. 


	2. getting closer

Disclaimer: still obviously am not J.K. Rowling

AN: thanx to my two reviewers... you're great! And as you wished... here's the update... enjoy

Chapter 2

Getting closer

Hermione's manner became conspirational. "Right! This is the deal...."she paused dramatically, "..you tell me what you know about yesterdays event... I need a name! Something that'll help me research. And I'll be deliberately second best in one subject. I know that always being only second best has been worming on you ever since our first year!" She looked Malfoy challengingly in the eye.

She didn't feel very good about doing deals of any kind with the smarmy little git but she had no choice. Harry was right. She had nothing she could research on and it was important that she did. Obviously what had happened last night could endanger the entire school and she wouldn't be Hermione Granger if she let that happen. She was ready to sacrifice some grades for the cause; her heart bleeding.

Malfoy' eyes glinted deviously.

"This wont be good!" Hermione thought bracing herself for his reply. She was to be proven right.

"That's a bit cheap for such valuable information. Don't you think?" he said mock examining his fingernails, then looking up innocently at Hermione. "I mean what's one lousy grade?" She gritted her teeth, the need to strangle him, steadily increasing. "... go on Hermione wrap your finger around that white and smooth neck of his...." she thought. This thought caused her to notice how pearly white his skin was which i turn evoked the desperate need to bang her head against the good old Hogwarts stone walls. She resisted and turned her attention back to what Malfoy was saying.

"... I think that you being second in ALL subjects is more like it."

Hermione's eyes bulged in honest heartfelt outrage. "You must be joking!" she spluttered.

Draco smiled coolly at the swimming girl "A Malfoy never jokes."came the dry reply.

Hermione now close to pleading, "All subjects? SOOO UNFAIR! You can't do this to me."

"I assure you, I can and I'm not open to any bargaining."

She glared daggers at him. "FINE! I'll make a couple of mistakes in all test and as such leaving room for you to do better ... You're really enjoying this, aren't you." His answer consisted of a happy smile.

Hermione looked glumly at him. "Now. Tell me what you know."she said sounding tired.

"Not so fast lil' lady. How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"Griffindor honour?" Hermione suggested a little unsure. He shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't make a deal based on Griffindor honour. And you know it."

"A handshake confirms a deal...."she suggested.

Draco made a disgusted face. "That's pathetic, primitive and totally inefficient muggle tradition. I mean how does a handshake stop someone not keeping his word?" he continued not awaiting Hermione's answer "Besides it would imply touching you."

By now Hermione was totally fed up. "Go to hell Malfoy! It was idiotic of me to come here. And I won't let myself be insulted by an arrogant bastard such as yourself. Your loss!"

She turned to stomp of but Draco caught her by the arm. "Oh come on Granger. Wait..."

"Let go!" she growled her eyes dangerously narrow yet without any effect on Draco. He calmly kept holding her "Obviously we'll make a magical deal...."

Now Hermione was interested despite of herself and stopped struggling. She hadn't come across any proper deal sealing spells yet. He let go of her seeing he had her attention.

"The one I know is a rather old one. I shall perform it if you're game. Are you?"

Hermione was too curious not to be and nodded. His eyes gleamed. He looked exited like a little child hardly able to contain himself. This spell was obviously something special.

Draco fished his wand from somewhere out of his robe and gestured her to get it out too. She did as he bid and held out her wand in front of her. Then Malfoy touched its tip with his, looked up and smiled a small radiant smile that reached his eyes. It said "I know this is rather intimate don't worry it'll get worse....."

It was strange to watch Malfoy communicate so subtly. She hadn't thought him capable of more than sneering and jeering which he admittedly was very good at. That there might be more to him than that came as quite a shock.

She smiled back waiting what would come next. He began to chant quietly as their wands touched. The chanting was too quiet for understanding which began to trouble her. Suddenly she felt very naive to be standing in a hallway with Malfoy wands touching and him performing the spell to seal their deal. It felt like making a pact with the devil. How could she know what he really was doing? How had she got herself it to this situation? Right! It had been that bloody sweet smile of his and at second thought, her curiosity.

Well now she had to see it through... goodness knows what would happen if she stopped touching his wand. It wouldn't necessarily result in the spell just ending....

She could feel a tingle coming from her wand going through her. It felt rather nice. Then she saw the spark. It seemed to be gathering from Malfoy and then wandered up his wand. When it reached the tip it glowed a even brighter emerald green than it already had. Then it jumped!

Hermione watched with round eyes as the Draco spark moved down her wand. She could feel its warmth. The feeling increased as the spark touched her hand and then it dissolved. It hadn't left though. As she felt its tingle inside her, she imagined it still glowing green.

What happened next was nothing like anything she had ever felt before. Her own spark formed. And now she knew that the spark consisted of her magical energy. It tore away from her and formed a red spark. It didn't hurt, not physically, but felt sort of sad. It was the first time that she became aware of her magical energy as a tangible force and now it was leaving. She felt like crying, But then she felt it still inside her. It hadn't all gone. Just a small part of it. The red spark leapt over to the other wand an also dissolved as it touched the other opposites hand. Then Malfoy broke the touch and Hermione gasped feeling peculiar and somehow awed and still aware of her own and in addition Draco's magical force inside her .

Malfoy had been watching her intently through out the whole process of the spell and was still doing so when she stood there gasping, her expression one of fearful wonder.

"Explain." she finally managed.

"First you tell me what you think of it."

It wasn't a demand. He just seemed to be curious.

"It felt weird hard to describe. I think we now both have a part of our magic hostage and I bet they will be returned when both sides of our deal will be fulfilled. How close is that?"she said triumphantly.

"Close. Couldn't have put it better myself. I knew your a clever witch Hermione. No need for explaining then." he grinned as if knowing what this sentence caused in her.

It did plunge her in quite some confusion. How does one react on a Draco Malfoy charmingly complementing oneself? She decided simply not to and rescued herself by changing the topic.

"I think it's time you tell me what I want to know. Since I 'm paying quite some price." she looked at him levelly now in turn her arms crossed in front of her breast putting some distance between them. Being on such friendly terms with him scared her. She didn't want to start liking him that would make her vulnerable. Besides she felt like a traitor when friendly to Draco.

He stepped back as if sensing the change and began:

"I'm quite sure that what we faced yesterday night was breath of death. That's what it's called. I came across it in some old book of ours back at the manor in the summer holidays I don't recall the title of the tome. Yesterday I recognised the symptoms I had read about.." Hermione interrupted him, "You mean the darkness and panic? You felt it too?" she asked her eyes concerned, "And you deduced from that it was this breath of death thingy?"

"Yes I felt it too, and no I didn't deduce it from that only.

I don't think I was in the same stage as you were I was still rather clear. A little stupidly panicky but that was all. But when you ran into me I felt the panic receding at your touch. That was when I realised what was happening. You seemed further gone. But also got better at touch and sense."

Hermione nodded. That made sense. "So is that all. This breath of death can be fought by touch and sense?"

Draco seemed a little uneasy. "Strong emotion helps too." Hermione raised an eyebrow. She thought she'd consider the facts she had later. "Is that all? Is panic as bad as it gets?"

Draco shook his head. "I think if a person is to long under the influence of the breath of death he'll go mad."

Hermione's eyes widened. Madness, complete loss of sensibility how dreadful."Can it be cured?"

Malfoy shrugged." I don't know. The book was rather vague. I don't even know what breath of death is. A spell? A potion? A curse? I haven't a clue. Your on your own there." He said and looked apologetically.

Hermione smiled a worried little smile "At least I've got a name. I can work with that. And we know what helps." She looked into his eyes. They seemed so different when not full of malice and thought. "No matter for what reason you helped me, madness would be my worst nightmare, you saved me from that and I thank you with all my heart." It sounded cheesy to her but it was nevertheless true. She had felt madness claw at her she hadn't been far off giving in to it. What would she be without her sanity and wit.

On impulse she hugged Malfoy, giving him quite a shock. She couldn't help but feel grateful to the little twerp. She let go quickly not giving him time to react, then touched an imaginary cap and took off at a run.


	3. dusty books and sparkly inside

Disclaimer: all I own is the plot.. .am obviously not J.K. Rowling

So here comes the third chapter. I hadn't planed on uploading it but since Deepspring from Animexx begged me to carry on, I did.

This chapter is for you Deepsping and another one should be comming up soon.

Chapter3

Malfoy watched the girl take off, her long brown curly hair flying as if waving and hypnotizing him. He could still feel her touch. The hug had been rather violent and strangling, hard for the body not to remember. He massaged this neck. Strangely enough he hadn't minded her clumsily hug; it had been sort of innocent. Yes, innocent was a good word to describe Hermione.

He wasn't used to dealing with innocence and felt awkward. Why could it touch him?

What was the damned girl doing to him? And what had driven him to perform the taking magic hostage spell? Tons of none-deal-braking spells existed and would've been sufficient.Well not exactly tons. He could think of one or two others that were good and would have been sufficient and no where near as personal!

He could feel Hermione's magic tingle quietly inside him. "I've some of her essence inside me" he smiled at the thought and felt comforted. Then he realised and slapped himself mentally. That was just the thought he wanted to ban.

"Hermione equals nerdy know-it-all!" He listened for any protest. Non arose, which meant that statement was still valid. Satisfied that he wasn't going mad he pushed Hermione and feelings side. It wouldn't do, to get to the bottom of what caused him to act the way he had. Maybe it would go away at its own accord. He sincerely hoped it would....

Hermione waited in the library for Ron and Harry to arrive. The plan was to do some research. Also did Hermione still have to tell the two the whole story of the nightly occurrences and what she'd gotten out of Malfoy. Already during classes, Ron and Harry had pressed Hermione for information but she'd resisted their assaults refusing to tell them anything till afterwards. It was too much to tell in a class that wasn't Professor Binns'. Furthermore, she wouldn't slacken and not soak up all knowledge she could just because her agreement with sodding, lifesaving and handsome Draco Malfoy. It only meant she couldn't do her very best in the coming tests. It went without saying that she'd prepare for them as thoroughly as usual.

"Hmpf! Not so eager to get all the facts after all!" she thought furrowing her forehead as more time went by and there still was no sign of Harry and Ron.

Hermione unusually welcomed time for just moping around alone in the library, but now it meant she had time to think and at the moment she couldn't help her thoughts from straying to a certain pale and sleazy boy.

She hadn't decided yet whether she would tell her friends the whole story including feelings and all. She was certain that they'd disapprove of the deal spell. Actually, she disapproved of it! It had been and still was by far too intimate! But she also knew it had been a valuable experience. Hermione closed her eyes inwardly reaching out for her magical core. She touched it again feeling boundless joy at feeling it. How come she hadn't felt it before? It must have always been there. The deal spell must have made her aware of it.

She smiled eyes still closed. Once more in only two days had Draco Malfoy given her a priceless gift. First her remaining sane and then the feeling of her own power. She wondered if he knew what he had given to her and decided he didn't. Surely he couldn't know.

Entwined in her own bright red magical source she felt the little green thread she knew to be Malfoy's. It seemed to fit in perfectly well in some pattern she didn't understand yet.

"As if it belonged here with me..."

Now WHERE had that thought come from??? Malfoy's spark was a hostage!!! It had to be returned!

Hermione opened her eyes now frowning and decided to start without the two. She needed to distract herself. Thinking of Draco gave her the creeps."THERE!!! I'm even calling him Draco!!!" She shook her head as if she could literally shake the thoughts off and took a deep breath. The crisp smell of books reminded her of mission.

In the six years Hermione had been at Hogwarts, she'd spent one fourth in the library. By now Hermione knew it so well, she often thought of it as hers and knew where to look for most things. She quickly found a couple of tomes she expected to contain some information on breath of death. She couldn't remember ever coming across it, but she hadn't managed to read all the books in the library yet.

Hermione began reading and was drawn as usual into the world of knowledge where she reigned as queen.

After an hour or so she found something:

" "Breath of Death", known to be one out of three very powerful potions. It is the cause of the existence of the other two named "Breath of Power" and "Breath of Life". The origins of "Breath of Death" are long lost and forgotten but they are said to go back to the time when Merlin and his druids walked the English forests maybe even before then. It used to be a feared and powerful potion, that caused people to go mad from fear or so it was said. The truth was worse. The potion caused people to hear strange voices in their head, these whispering and torturing, gradually plunging the victims into a shadow world. There was no helping those that had fallen into total darkness.

These didn't die as the name implies, but as they were robbed of all what made life worth living and lived trapped in a world of nightmares with no way of ever escaping, the name seems more than appropriate.

Luckily those not completely fallen could be saved.

Three things could keep the fear at bay and disperse it when applied together: the warmth of another humans touch, reasoning and concentration on reality and truths, strong emotion

At the beginning of the 16th century an unknown dark wizard developed a potion, that lent the first of the three potions even more terror. He named it "Breath of Power". "Breath of Power" evoked some kind of trance and permitted, the one under its influence, entrance to the nightmare ridden minds of those tortured by "Breath of Death". Once their thoughts were penetrated, they'd be enslaved un till their own death came or that of their master. There was no other way but to kill those already tortured to prevent them from becoming enslaved by those with dark purposes.

Nevertheless "Breath of Power" was of no use whatsoever without the original potion "Breath of Death" and soon after, a wizard known as Agrippa developed the last of the three potions and named it "Breath of Light". Its purpose was to fight the two others at the core.

" The text continued, telling stories of those damned by the potion and used for dark purposes by dark men. But it didn't reveal how "Breath of Life" actually fought the other two. Neither did it say how any of the potions worked or at least how breath of death was able to effect people.

Hermione wrinkled her brow. Now she knew some history of the potions.

It was clear to her that if she wanted to fight this menace she needed to know more about the workings of breath of death, how it could effect people,what caused the nightmares to creep up. That would illuminate somewhat how the enemy managed to deposit it in Hogwarts. More importantly she needed to know more about this counter potion "Breath of light". How did it work and how was she to brew it?

Hermione was still sitting in the library sunken in thought, staring at nothing when Harry and Ron rushed in looking extremely guilty for being 2 hours late. It turned out that Quidditch practice had taken longer. "We couldn't help it!" they assured her innocently. Hermione gave them, in particular Harry a"Yeah right!-look" that said: " You are in charge of the Quidditch team and you couldn't possibly have done anything to have been here on time..." they cringed and she enjoyed it a second or two. But the the urge to tell them what she knew took over. She decided spontaneously to leave out as much Malfoy and deals as possible.

Both boy seated themselves while Hermione stood up and started pacing while she recounted a teensy bit altered version of this new threat.

Ron and Harry listened intently without interrupting her although they did wince at her just mentioning Malfoy ...

She sunned in their attention and gleefully retold all she knew, feeling guilty about how much satisfaction it gave to have the facts and them being at her mercy. It always was like that. No matter how dangerous the situation she always enjoyed research. It gave her so much power. In situations like these, the boys would be hopelessly lost without her ant they wouldn't even get to the part where they needed to be brave.

She told them how she ran into Malfoy and how he helped her, how in the morning she had figured that he knew more, how she cornered him and how he had let the name she needed for the research slip.

Then she got to the results of her research and finished with: "..the school needs to be warned. We need to hold a DA meeting immediately! They still called it DA since Dumbledore's army still seemed appropriate even without Umbrigde around. Someone must then go to Dumbledore and then at supper the rest of the school must be informed!"

She looked from one boy to the other. They both nodded. Ron scowled "What a sneaky way to get at us!" Harry sighed "Face it Ron its the big bad..." Ron gloomily agreed."Yup the rest needs to be informed..."he trailed off looking thoughtful "....Draco just accidentally told you the name? That's not much like him... I mean I can't stand the guy but sorrily I must admit that he's not stupid.... nasty lil' bugger but no way stupid... Do you think he'd let something like that just slip?"

Hermione was prepared for this. "Well, he helped me once... even if to help himself. But he didn't have to do all he did do, like being kind and comforting for instance.... yeeeeeeew did I just say Malfoy was kind!?"

Harry and Ron nodded as Hermione shook herself. "Well anyhow! My point is that he might be counting on me to do something against this! It's a threat to him same as to us. Maybe he thought the more reacherching on this threat the better!"

She looked at them happily exited. This still sounded as if Malfoy was doing a good thing and she kind of wanted him to be acting good.

"Or he could be just letting you do all the work." Harry ventured.

Hermione opened and closed her mouth. That too made sense and she even paid him grades for it. She stamped her foot. "Damn it!"

Ron patted her on the shoulder. "No worries, Herm you'd have researched anyhow."

"Yes, but I wouldn't be doing him a favour!"

"Come on Mione lets make a call on the Members of the DA and get moving" Harry offered knowing Hermione couldn't resist some action and organising.

"Alright" Sighing she took out her DA coin and let the other members know they needed to meet with a whisk of her wand. They were still using the system Hermione invented in 5th year where all the members of the DA recieved thedatesof the meetings engraved magically on their enchanted gallons. And they where still using the room of requirement.

"Umm, you two go ahead, I need to tell Malfoy about the meeting."

"What?!" the the two boys said in unison looking incredulous.

Hermione shrugged helplessly "He has to know about this, he's the link to the Slytherins. There's none of them in DA and they need to know too."

"But this way you're totally playing in to his hands!" Ron was close to tears. Harry solemnly waited seeing Hermione had a point"

"Calm down Ron, you now thins isn't really about playing into anyone's hands. We are in danger and so are the bloody Slytherins."

"Wait a minute Mione, what can you tell the Slytherins they don't know jet? You know as much as Malfoy does."

Harry was right. All her research had resulted in was a little history and confirming of what Draco already told her. But somehow she had the feeling she should involve Draco in this.

"You're right Harry. But I have a feeling Malfoy could be helpful with this." She looked at him pleadingly. Harry's eyes softened as she looked at him like that. He reached out and touched her cheek. "Do what you think is best Mione"

Hermione's heart fluttered a little. Harry was so cute. She smiled up at him thankfully for being so trusting. "Right, I'll see you there." The boys watched her hurry off.

"What was that about?" Ron asked with a smirk. Harry didn't reply but went a little pink instead.


End file.
